Electric circuit controlling device



Nov. 29, 1938. J. D. NoYEs ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed Feb. 3, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l ma. I.

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INVENTOR. "f2 w ATTORNEYS.

NOV. 29, 1938. J. D NOYES 2,138,191

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE Y v INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT', OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to electrical circuit making and breaking devices andY relates more specifically to devices taking the place of and of greater efficiency and convenience than the ordinary pothead.

Among the objects of the invention is a high voltage cable connection device in which all live parts are shielded at all times against accidental touching.

Another object is a device of the kindindicated in which all the working parts are enclosed in a water-tight casing with operating means extending tothe outside thereoi'.`

Another object is a device of the kind indicated which may be assembled completely and put in place before making or breaking any circuits.

Another object is a device of the kind described which is of relatively small size and therefore more conveniently installed and operated in the somewhat restricted spaces in which such devices are usually used.

Still otherk objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a three element connector, it being understood that a smaller or greater number may be used.

Figure 2 is a, Vertical section on line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figures 4 and 5 are diagrammatic illustrations of modied forms of the device.

vReferring now particularly to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, a preferredA form of embodiment of the invention will be seen to comprise a. casing I0 capablek of being tightly sealed by means of suitable anges and bolts or screws II. This casing I0, in the form shown, has its upper portion divided into four compartments by sheets or plates of insulating material I2 which also line the front and end walls of the casing. Three of the compartments of substantially the same size occupy the front portion of the casing while the fourth extends along the back, the compartments being separated from each other by the plates I2.

The top I3 of the casing is also lined with a plate or plates of insulating material I4 having a small opening I5 centrally located over each of the three front compartments and mounted upon the top I3 over each opening I5 is a bell member or casing extension I6 secured to the (Cl. ZOU-151) top by any suitable means. These members I 6 also are lined for a portion of their length with insulating material I1 as shown. Further, these bell members I6 are preferably provided with removable upper ends or caps I8 through which extend the ends of conducting cables or wires I9, means being provided to render the joints sufiiciently tight to prevent entrance of Water. The means shown is a screw nipple 20 to which the cable armor is secured as by a lead burned joint 2I Within each bell I6, and supported by a suitable means such as a ange 22', is an insulated blade-carrying contact 23, the lower end carrying the blades 24, being placed above butin line with an opening I5, and the upper end provided with means for making aL suitable permanent connection with cable I9. The insulator for contact 23 is shown at 25.

Mounted within the rear compartment of casing Il) are iixed contact members 30 carried in suitable insulators 3l and having blades 32' extended forwardly through insulation I2, each into one of the front compartments in substantial alignment with an opening I5, buty below and to the rear of such opening. Each of the members 30, by means of a suitable plate 32a is` connected to a tap lead wire or cable 33 leading from one of the main leads o1V conductors 34 extending lengthwise of the casing in the lower part of the rear compartment, a suitable trough therefor being indicated at 35.

At each end of casing I0 opposite the trough is a flanged tubulated opening 40, this serving toy admit the armored end of the (in this form) three-wire main cable 4I containing the conductors 34, and providing meansk for the formation of a water-tight joint in the leaded flange 42, the latter being bolted or screwed to the casing ange.

The mains 34 may and ordinarily will continue through the casing ID, being tapped as mentioned above, and supply current to each of the members 30.

The conductors I9 of course extend to whatever circuits the device is intended to supply and means is provided within the casing I0 for establishing a connection between blades 32 and blades 24.

This latter means comprises in the preferred form an insulating block member 50 carrying a T-shaped conductor blade 5I of which one end of the cross bar 5Ia is embedded or otherwise "secured in block 50 while the stem 53 of the T extends toward the rear and is provided with an insulating shield or barrier member 52. This T-shaped member is so placed on block 50 and is of such dimension that, when stem 53 is between the blades 32, the upper end of 5| is between blades 24.

The blocks 50 are preferably extended laterally and contain openings to receive the guide rods 60 upon which the blocks slide and are maintained in alineinent with the blades 24 and 32. These rods 60 are, as indicated, xed to the bottom o'f the housing I0.

Means is also provided for moving the blocks G and T-shaped members without the necessity of opening housing I0. This means comprises a shaft journaled in the ends of the housing and extending from one end through a suitable gland 1| and provided with means such as a handle or lever 12 for rotation. This shaft 10 carries arms 13 fixed to it, each two arms extending to a block Sil. Each arm has a slotted end or elongated eye 14 cooperating with a pin 15 in the block 5U so that movement of handle 12 raises blocks 50 to circuit-completing position or lowers them to circuit open position.

It will be noted that the contacts are brought together and separated behind ample barriers, the contacts 5| and 24 being made and broken within the domes I6 outside of the main housing, while contacts 53 and 32 are made and broken behind the large barrier 52 with the conductors 33 outside of the insulated compartments.

It should be noted that while the preferred form of the device shows three taps, a greater or less number may be used without material modication.

Figures 4 and 5 show diagrammatically somewhat modified forms of the invention.

In Figure 4 the casing |0, domes |8, and stationary contacts |24 and |32 may be similar in construction to the corresponding parts of the preferred form and are shown more or less conventionally.

The circuit-completing member |5| is however shown as of U-shape with one leg |5|a longer than the other |5|b, these coacting respectively with contacts |24 and |32. The member 5| is carried at the end of a swinging arm |13 pivoted or hinged at |13a, and having its ends separated by an intermediate insulator portion |1317. The arm |13 is indicated as operable by means of a pump handle |12 mounted on the top of casing H and connected to arm |13 through links |10, one of which passes through a suitable packing gland 51|. In this form, each member |5| may have an operating handle or several may be operated by the same handle as in Figure l. Suitable guides (not shown) will of course be provided.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic showing of still another form but in this the movable circuit completing member 25| remains in contact with one of the stationary contacts 232 whether or not the end 233 contacts with the other stationary contact 224. In this form, the member 25| may be hollow with spring ngers 225 sliding upon contact 232 which is of considerable length and telescopes into member 25|. Also in this form no guides are needed as the telescoping arrangement of parts 25| and 232 can be made of such form and proportions as to be suflicient for the purpose.

The member 25| is indicated as being operable through a suitable handle lever 212.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a sealed housing including a main casing, insulating partitions in said casing dividing the space therein into at least two chambers, an extension casing removably aixed to the main casing and separated therefrom by an insulating member provided with a relatively small opening, a stationary contact member mounted in one of said chambers and projecting through the partition into the other chamber, a stationary contact member mounted in said extension casing opposite said opening, a movable contact member in said other chamber adapted to be moved into contact with the rst stationary contact and project into said extension into contact with the Second stationary contact, xed baffle portions shielding each of said stationary contact members and arranged at an angle to each other, and a movable baffle adapted to travel with said movable contact member into and out of abutting relation wit-h respect to said rst mentioned bafes, in a path between said batiles, and means projecting from said casing for moving said movable contact member.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing, an electrical conductor leading into said casing and sealed thereto at the point of entry, a xed contact member in said casing and connected with said conductor, an extension xed to said casing in sealed relation and 'containing a second xed contact member, a movable contact member in the casing having a portion movable into contact with the rst contact member and a portion projectable into said extension into contact with said second contact member, a barile plate dividing said casing extension from the main 'casing and provided with a relatively small opening for the passage of said projectable portion, a baffle carried by said movable contact member, and a fixed bafile shielding the fixed contact member in the casing, the bafile carried by said movable contact member being movable into and out of abutting relation with at least one of said other bailles and means operable from without the casing for moving said movable member to and from contact making position.

' JNO. D. NOYES. 

